Principles Flashcards
(220 cards)
What is a cell?
Basic structural unit of all living organisms
What is a eukaryotic cell?
Cell with a true nucleus
What is the function of the plasmalemma (cell membrane)?
Separates the cytoplasm from the outside environment
What is the composition of the plasmalemma?
Amphipathic phospholipid bilayer
Integral proteins
Peripheral proteins
What roles to membrane proteins play within the cell?
Receptors CHannels Transporters Enzymes Cell attachment proteins
What do exocytosis and endocytosis mean?
Removal of molecules from cell via the cell the plasmalemma
the entry of molecules to the cell via the plasmalemma
What are the characteristics of the cell membrane?
Fluid
proteins can diffuse laterally or are anchored- not evenly distributed
Selectively permeable- impermiable to charged ions
What is an organelle?
Small intracellular organs with specific function and structural organization. Essential to life.
Give examples of cell organelles.
Mitochondria Rough ER Smooth ER Golgi apparatis Lysosomes Nucleus
What is a inclusion?
Dispensible and transciet. Represent components that have been synthesised by the cell or taken up from extracellular environment
What is the function of the cytoskeleton?
Maintain cell shape and integrity and leads to locamotion and contraction by filamentous cytosolic proteins, the cytoskeletal proteins
it is joined to the cell membrane
What are the three main cytoskeletal proteins?
Microfilaments (thinnest)
Intermediate filaments
Thick filaments: Microtubules
What are microfilaments composed of?
Actin
What are microtubules composed of?
Two tubulin proteins (alternating alpha and beta)
Include MAP proteins
Where do microtubules originate from?
Centrosome
Polymerize in central portion of the cell and radiate out- POLAR
What is the function of microfilaments?
Dynamic- assemble and dissociate
What is the function of intermediate filaments?
Bind intracellular elements together and to the plasmalemma
Used in identifying tumour origins
What is the function of microtubules?
Mototway network
Dynein and kinesin attach to microtubules and move along them.
They associate with the membranes of the organelles and vesicles and ‘drag’them along the microtubule.
What is kinesin?
An ATPase that moves towards the cell periphery
What is dynein?
An ATPase that moves toward the cell centre
What is the function of the nucleus?
Contains chromosomes and is the location of mRNA and tRNA synthesis
rRNA is synthesized in the nucleolus
What is the structure of the nucleus?
Enclosed by a nucleur envelope
Composed of an inner and outer nuclear membrane with nuclear pores.
Between these two sheets is the perinuclear cistern- continous with cistern of the ER
Outer membrane studded with ribosomes- continuous with the rough ER
Nucleolus
What is euchromatin?
DNA actively undergoing transcription
What is heterochromatin?
DNA that is condensed and not undergoin transcription